Those with an eye on the future have exciting choice. The key battle for compatibility supremacy in the latest high-definition war is between HD DVD and Blu-ray These are the formats that we can expect to be pumped out by DVD producers in coming years that provide pin-sharp viewing on high-definition TVs.



Just like the fight between Philip's VHS and Sony's Betamax in the old video slugging match of the early Eighties, only one format is expected to win the day. Of course, to get the very best from either system it will also be necessary to upgrade your telly to a high-definition box - a far more straightforward choice.

Sony Columbia's Blu-ray has the best picture on paper but this does not mean it will win as HD DVD has the added flexibility of also being able to play your old DVDs and the machines tend to be cheaper.

However, if you have deep enough pockets you can miss out on the hold rivalry fight altogether and buy one of the new breed of dual format machines that are entering the market.